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HDFB-Coupling assembled to gearbox shaft and metallic conveyor drive (HENFEL)

The sugarcane industry is one of the most flourishing segments of the Brazilian Economy. With a production of up to 624 million metric tonnes of sugarcane in the 2017 harvest season, the country holds the world record production for both sugar and ethanol from this raw material. A broader view reveals that more than 37 million tonnes of sugar and 27 million cubic meters of ethanol were produced to meet national and expanding global demand. 

Company-owned balancing machine in Neunkirchen, Germany

A virtually rotational-symmetrical component may have an unbalance caused by production tolerances or non-homogeneous structure in the material. Such unbalances in a drive system can not only lead to considerable vibrations during operation, but, in the long run, can also lead to failures of individual components or even of the entire drive system. As speed constitutes one of the decisive influences here, balancing is always performed for a certain speed. As a general rule, this is the nominal speed of the drive system.

Designers of plants and machines strive for the optimal selection of a coupling for the complete system with many variables requiring consideration. In most cases, the main focus is not how maintenance-friendly the product is. Yet – one might say. For a sustainable improvement of the longevity and efficiency of plants, a stronger involvement of maintenance is a must.